Machine for applying tips to electric conductors



Dec. 24, 1940; H. A. ELLIOTT 2,225,739

Y MACHINE FOR APPLYING TIPS TO ELECTRIC CCNDUCTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 15, 1940 Dec. 24, 1940. H. A. ELLIOTT MACHINE FOR APPLYING TIPS TO ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Filed Feb. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 24, 1940 vmarmo .STAT-Es I MACHINE FOR APPLYING TIPS T ELECTRIC CONDUCTOBS Howard a. muuu, Detroit, Mich., sigma to Essex Wire Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan application February 1,5, 1940, serial No. 319,066 e calms. p (ci. `2st-ss) This invention relates to electric conduct-orsy of the insulated type such as are commonly einployed in the automobile, radio, or like industries, and particularly to such insulated conductors as are provided with a terminal tip on at least one end thereof, the principal object being the Yprovision of mechanism whereby a section of insulated conductor Ofpredetermined length may bev automatically severed /from a roll or the like of l0 such conductor and the insulation thereon may be automatically stripped from the ends thereof, A

conductor, the severed lengths of the conductor being fed into the press Vmechanism where one of the tips formed therein is automatically appiied'to an end of each conductor and the conductors with such tips applied thereto are dis-k charged fromthe mechanism; and the provision of a mechanism into which astrip of metal from a roll may be fed and into which a length of insulated electric conductor from a roll may be lfed, Vthe metal strip being acted upon by a multiple die to form successive lengths' of thel same into conductor tips and the conduct )r being acted upon to sever successive lengths of the same and.

to strip the insulation from at least one end thereof of each length, together with means for 0 automatically feeding such severed lengths of the conductor toward the multiple die in timed relation therewith and to insert the stripped end of the conductor into a cooperating tip being formed in the die immediately before the final closing operation thereon by the multiple die, whereby during the final closing operation of the tip the same will be secured to the end of the conductor and the tip will be severed from the remainder of the strip of metal. 60 'I'he above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed, 55, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate asuitable embodiment of the present` invention and in which likel numerals refer to like parts throughout the several different views,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my improved 5 mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism shown invFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the machine shown in 10 Figs. 1 and 2, as on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and centrally through the multiple die portion thereof employed for forming successive lengths of a strip of metal into conductor tips, and illustratv ing the final operation upon one of the conduc- 15 tor tips during which it is applied to the end of alength of electric conductor;l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a strip of metal which is fed through the multiple die shown in Fig. 3 and illustrating the various stages 20 of operation thereon during its travel through the multiple die;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 'of Fig. 2 and illustrating thev adjustable type of connection employed in g5 the drive between the conductor severing and stripping mechanism and the trip mechanism for the press; and,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the wire severing and stripping mechanism but taken from 30 the opposite side of the machine from the view in Fig. 1.

In the automobile, radio and other industries it is conventional practice to employ predetermined lengths of insulated electric conductor to 35 at least one end of which a conductor tip is applied for facilitating the connection of the oonductor to some object or mechanism to or from which it is desired to conduct an electric current. It will be understood that particularly in the automobile and radio industries thousands of equal lengths of such conductors having tips applied thereto are used each working day. Special machines have been designed to receive a coil of the insulated wire or conductor, automatically withs draw wire from the roll, cut it into sections of predetermined lengths and simultaneously strip a desired amount of the insulation from each end thereof so as to expose a predetermined length of the conductor at each end of the wire. Such a machine is shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,787,658 to Andrn and Olsen.

Various types of tips are usually applied to one of the stripped ends of the wire to facilitate the connection of the wire or conductor to some elecpress.

50 tips thereto.

trical instrument or the like to which or from which it is desired to convey a current of electricity. Where such tips are separately and individually formed and then later individually ap- 5 plied to the ends of the wires or conductors an immense amount of labor is involved Where such conductors are produced in large quantities. To overcome the labor probleml in connection with applying such tips to such conductors, special machines have been designed which take a coil of strip metal, usually brass, and pass it through amultiple die in a press mechanism and in which` successive lengths of the strip of metal are successively acted upon to form them into conductor 'tips, and these machines arel so constructed and in such a manner that during the nal operation on the tip it is closed about the stripped end of the wire and secured thereto and severed from the strip of metal. Such special machines are illustrated in applicants own prior United States Letters Patent No. 1,976,929 and also in United States Letters Patent No. 2,169,802 to Keller.

Even by the use ofthe special machines above described and identied it has heretofore been necessary for an operator to gather up the lengths of the wire `fromwhich the insulation has been .stripped from one end thereof and to insert such lengths of wire` one at a time into the press mechanism which forms the tips in order to apply the tips tothe end of the conductors. The speed of operation of the press is naturally limited by the ability of the operator to manipulate the wires at a suflicient speed to match the speed of the At the same time, it requires a certain amount of skill and experience on the part of the operator in order to insure that each wire art are overcome by the present invention which eliminates the need of an operatorin receiving the wires as delivered from the wire cutting and stripping mechanism and applying it to the press mechanism to effect the application of the Instead, in accordance with the present invention, the Wire cutting and stripping mechanism is so associated with the press mechanism that the two are driven in timed relation withrespectto each other and arranged to feed the lengths of wire from the cutting and stripping mechanism into proper relation with respect to the press mechanism so as to cause the tip to be automatically applied to each length of wire at theproper time and in the proper position there- Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that the machine comprises a bed or base I0 having suitable supporting legs I2. At one end of the machine,

namely the righthand end ras viewed in Figs. 1

upper end of the standard I4'vc`arries a reel I8 Y upon which is wound a supply of the insulated electrical `conductor 2D which it is desired to sever into lengths and to the end of which lengths a suitable connector or tip is to be applied. The

4 75 `conductor 20 may be of any usual or conventional type of insulated electric conductors and as more specifically brought out in Fig. 4, may include a metal wire or cable 22 of either the solid, twisted or braided type, and enclosing insulation 24 which may be of any suitable or conventional type.

The wire 20 is led under a pulley 26 and then over a pulley 28 and then extends longitudinally and centrally of the upper surface of the base I0 where it is first received between a pair of guide pins 30. 'I'he roller 26 is carried at the free end of a vpair of swinging arms or links 32 pivotally secured at their upper ends to a bracket 34 projecting from the righthand end of the machine as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The arms 32 and pulley26 act as a gravity tensioning device on the conductor 20 to keep the slack out of it particularly during reversal in the direction of movement of the conductor 20 during the stripping operation which will hereinafter be described.

A frame 40 is secured to the side of the base or bed I0 adjacent the righthand end thereof as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 and at its upper end supports thereon a head 42. A pair of vertically reciprocable cutter supports 44, indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, are carried and guided in their movement by the head 42 centrally of the path of movement of the conductor 20 over the upper surface of the machine. The supports v44 are simultaneously reciprocable in opposite directions and each includes a central severing knife or blade 46 and a pair of insulation stripping knives or blades 48 disposed at a distance to each side of the severing knife 46 equivalent to the length of the insulation which it is desired to strip from the endy of each length of wire or conductor. Each cooperating pair of these knives are slightly offset from one another so that their cutting edges overlap when the supports 44 are moved to their extreme limit of position toward one another. In such position the blades ,46 serve to sever both the insulation 24 and the wire 22 of the conductor 20 and the blades48 act to sever the insulation only but not the wire 22. The blades 48 are preferably centrally notched or relieved to permitsubstantially complete severance of the insulation 24 without severing the wire 22. After the conductor 20 has been severed by the blades 46 and the insulation at predetermined, distances on either side thereof has been severed, the two parts of the conductor 20 on either side of the blades 46 are then acted upon to withdraw the wire in opposite directions away from the blades 46 so that the severed portion'of the insulation is stripped from the corresponding ends of the conductor, the various blades 46 and 48, of course, being maintained in their cutting position while the two parts of the conductor 20 are withdrawn and the stripper blades 48 acting on the severed portion of the insulation prevent its withdrawal with the corresponding parts of the conductor.

'The mechanism for effecting reciprocation of the supports 44 and the knives or blades 46 and 48` is carried by the frame 40 and'v head 42 and is so `constructed andv arranged as to cause the supports 44 to approach each other so as to bring the blades 46 and 48 into cutting position, to maintain the blades in cutting position until after the'stripping operation has been completed, then move the blades away from each other and hold them in separated position until such time as another lengthv of wire has been fed between them to the desired extent upon which they are again caused to approach veach other. The

specific details of the mechanism provide for obtaining this movement of the supports 44 and the blades 46 and 4l forms no part of the present invention but is fully disclosed in the Andrn and 6 Olsen Patent No. 1,787,658 above. referred to and to which reference may be made for ay; complete understanding of the same. Inany event it will be understood that this mechanism is driven from a shaft 50 rotatably supported by the frame 4l 10 and carrying a pulley "having a suitable driving connection therewith and the pulley l2 may,

in turn, be driven from a suitable power driven pulley 54 bymeansof a belt 5l normally maintained under suitable tension by a belt type device. 58. Obviously any suitable means may be employed for driving such mechanism.

In connection with the cutting and stripping mechanism above described, means are prdvided operating in timed relation therewith for withdrawing predetermined lengthsof conductor 2l from the reel I8 and presenting it to the blades 46 and 48 for operation thereby. anism includes a pair of identical gripper. devices 60. The upper face of the machine is provided with a pair of parallel ways v62 extending longitudinally'of its upper surface and arranged in equally spaced relation on either side of the path of movement of the conductor 20 therebetween.l

. One gripper device 50 is carried by each of th 3G ways 62 and is slidable therealong.

Reciprocation of the gripper devices '$0 on their corresponding ways 62 is eiected as follows.- A

pair of drums or wheels 64 and 66 are provided, one at each end of the base ill and each arranged with its axis vertical'. A exible cable 5l is 1 gripper devices 60 will cause the gripper devices.

to be reciprocated longitudinally of the ways 52 in opposite directions.

` Oscillation of the drum 64 is eil'ected by suitable mechanism connected thereto and specifically shown and described ln said Andrn and Olsen- Patent No. 1,787,658 above referred to, and such mechanism is in turn driven from -a shaft 55 68 suitably supported for rotatable movement' longitudinally ofthe base l0 and driven from the shaft 50 in timed relation so that the gripper devices are caused to reciprocate in timed relation to the reciprocatory movement of the supso ports 44 and blades 46 and 48. The mechanism for oscillating the drum includes suitably adjustable devices enabling the extent of reciprocation of .the gripper jaws or devices il to be readily varied so as to permit ready adjustment 65 of the machine tocut sections of wire of different and desired lengths from the conductor wound upon the reel I8. e

Each gripper device 60 includes a pair of oppositely movable jaw members which are operated in their opening and closing movements by means of a square shaft 'II disposed over each way` 52 and slidably received by each of the gripper devices 60. The shafts Il are operated at desired intervals during the operation of the mais chine and in synchrcnism with othermovements 'Ihis mechof the machine by mechanism indicated generally at 'I2 positioned at the righthand end of the base III as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 and suitably driven from the shaft 68.

. The essential movements of the part of the ma- 5. chine thus far describedare as follows. Assuig' Y that the various parts of the machine as view in Figs. 1 and 2 are those assumed at the end of a putting and stripping operation, it will be understood that the length of the conductor 2l 1Y0 between the head 42 and the lefthand gripper device Il has been severed from that portion of the conductor still wound on the reel Il, and that f' Y ping the corresponding portions of the con- 20 ductor 2l. t

From the above described condition of the machine,l as rotation of the shaft 50 continues. the

` blades 46 ,and 4l are drawn awayfrom each other toward inoperative position and the lefthand 25 e gripper device 60 only is actuated to separate the jaws thereof and to release the severed length of the'conductor 2li therebetween so as to permit it to fall outof the machine. Immediately thereafter the drum 64 is caused to rotate in a' clock- 3 wise direction of rotation, as viewed in Fig. 2, whereby the righthand g'ripperdevice Gli which is stili gripping the conductor 2U is ca ed tomove to the left and the lefthand gripper device I0 1s caused to move to the right, the Jaws ofthe 85 lefthand gripper device "50 opening wide enough during this movement to clear the righthand gripper device ill in passing 'it during such movement. 'I'he righthand gripper device il, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2,4wi11 be carried by the-flexible 40 4have been drawn beyond the severing blades 45 to the left thereof, whereupon rotation of the drums 64 and, therefore, movement of the ex- 46 I ible cable 66 will be stopped. .The lefthand gripper device i0 as viewed in Fig. 2 and which at this time will be positioned to the right of the head 42 will be operated to grip that portion of the conductor 20 to the right of the head 42 and tension 5 the conductor between the gripper devices 60, and the. blades '45 and 4l will be'caused to approach each otherl to again sever the conductor 20 and to cut the insulation at the desired distance from the severed ends thereof. 55

Immediately upon the above described action occurring, 'a further rotational movement of the drum I4 in a clockwise direction of rotation is effected, this serving to move that part of the conductor 20 to the left ofthe head 42 further to w the left and that portion vof the right of the head 42 further to the right, thereby stripping the `severed portions of the insulation from the I severed ends of the conductor. As soon as sumcient movement of the drum 64 has occurred to 05 e'ect this result, rotation of the drum is stopped. the gripper device 60 positioned to the left of the head 42 is operated to release the severed portion of the conductor, the blades 46 and 48 are separated, and'rotation of the drum 64 in the oppo- I0 60 are alternately positioned at opposite ends of the machine andv reversed in direction of movement during each cycle of operation of the machine. v

At the end of the machine opposite the head y 42 and the reel |8 is positioned another reel 80 rotatably mounted upon the upper end of a suitable support 82 and braced with respect to the corresponding end of the machineby a member 84. The reel 82 carries a suitable strip 86 of metal wound thereon, such metal usually being brass. 'Ihe strip 86 is arranged to ybe fed longitudinally of the upper face of the machine centrally thereof and in the opposite direction of movement to the normal feeding movement of the conductor 20 fromthe reel |8. A suitable and conventional type of press mechanism vindicated generally at 88 is mounted in cooperative relation with respect to the bed I0 and is preferably provided with a pedestal 89 extending to the cor so as to alford the proper type of support thereto. The press mechanism 88 is provided with an upper vertical reciprocable platen 90 and a lower xed platen 92 (see Fig. 3)

in which the forming 'and cutting die mechanism for the strip 86 is mounted. The upper platen 90 is 'carried by a suitable plunger 94 arranged between vertical guide members 86 and connected'by means of a suitable rod 98 withv a crank |00 provided on the shaft of a bull wheel |02 driven -by a suitably or conventionally power driven pinion |04. It will be understood that in the case shown thepinion |04 is driven by an electric motor |06 suitably mounted on the upper end of the press in a conventional manner. It will be understood that suitable and conventional clutch mechanism (not shown) controlled by a trip lever |08 (see Figs. 1 and 5) vis operable to connect thefcrank |00 to the bull wheel I|02 to eiect one complete revolution of the crank |00 and, therefore, one complete cycle of operation of the press, and then to discontinue the driving relation between the crank |00 and bull wheel |02 until the trip lever |08 is again tripped. n

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be noted that a pair of feed rollers ||0 are associated with the press and are intermittently rotated by a suitable driving link (not shown) connected at one end with the crank of the press whereby the strip material 86 is advanced a predetermined distance upon the upstroke of the press, which action may be arranged in any suitable and well known manner.

`The strip stock or material 86 is transferred from rolled strip form into a completed tip and attached to the conductor by a plurality of operations which are performed on the blanks without any manual handling and which consists in a series of punching and forming operations performed in successive stages upon the down stroke of the press in a manner whereby the complete cycle of operation is performed once upon each stroke of the press as will hereinafter be described in detail. The action, including the feeding of the work, is entirely automatic throughout. The punching and forming operations and the dies employed in connection therewith may, of course, be varied in accordance with the particular type and construction of the tip to be applied to the ends of the several lengths of conductor 20, dbut as a matter offillustration the type of tip and die mechanismy for producing the same as disclosed in my prior United States Patent No. 1,976,929 is shown and described herein'.

As the press operates, the feed rollers ||0 feed the strip,86 from which the conductor strips are to be formed through a guide slot ||2, formed in the die assembly which is supported in the lower platen 92 of the press and which properly positions the strip between the punching and forming members and the matrix dies.

The rst step of the process consists in the operation of punching a center hole ||4 (see Fig. 4) inthe blank strip 86 by means of a punch ||6, upon the down stroke of the press. Upon the upstroke of the press the material is advanced the necessary* predetermined distance, which is equal to thelength of one of the blanks, to assume a position below the next punch for the succeeding operation. Upon the next stroke of the press the second step is performed by a notching punch ||8 which cuts notches |20 on the opposite edges of the strip of material 86 in alignment with the center hole H4. This punch may be provided with a conventional centering member (not shown in the drawings) for engaging the center hole ||4 to insure perfect alignment of the notches |20 with the hole I4 if desired.

The third step orl operation is performed after the blank strip has been advanced two positions by two movements of the feed rollers ||0 as shown by the spacing of the punches in Fig. 3, so .that two successive notching operations have been performed, as above described, before the blank reaches the position under the punch 1 sitions by the feed rollers I0 in the same manner that it is advanced between the second and third steps as hereinabove described. The fourth step is then performed which consists in forming the blank by a forming punch |28 which curves or bends the side edges of the blank upwardly, bends the serrated edges |22 upwardly into a vertical position, and embosses the rear edge of the blank at |30, forms a groove |32 entirely across the blank, in alignment with the hole ||4 and notches |20, embosses the blank at |34, forming inwardly extending projections within the groove |32, and causes the blank to assume a general arcuate form as illustrated in Fig. 4. The blank remains attached to the material strip by the tongue |26. A suitable spring pressed knockout punch |36 of any well known design may be employed to raise the blank from the matrix -die after the fourth operation has been performed so that it may be advanced to the next position.

The fth step consists in forming and inwardly bending the blank by a forming punch |38. In this position the blank is still attached to the strip 86 by the tongue |26 but is nearly completely formed and nearly closed, being open only at the top to receive the conductor or wire end which is to be attached by the next step .or operation. p

The sixth step consists in inserting the end of a'severed length of the conductor 20 from which the insulation 24 has been stripped, as previously'described, into the partially closed blank Y over tongue completely close the butt end of ing it over to assume an annular' or roundedl form indicated at |42 in Figs. 3 and 4. This die also severs the tongue |20 from the strip 00 and folds this tongue over the butt end of the finished terminal tip |42, thus completing the formation and securely attaching the tip to the end of thev conductor.

It will be noted that in the attaching of the tip the embossed points |30 become embedded in l the platen 90 the feed rollers I0 will advance the insulation of the conductor and the points |04 are firmly in contact with the wire. The

serratededges |22 together with the folded the tip. The groove |02 assumes an arcuate shape in its completed form to cooperate with attaching devices in the 'receiving members with which the tip is to be associated when in use. No other attaching medium, such as solder or like bonding material, is required. l

Upon each down stroke of the platen 00, each of the punches and dies will perform one step of the process,.and upon the upward stroke of the blank strip '00 one position forward. A progression` of the successive stages of operation will be performed, and a completed terminal tip'attached .to a conductor upon the completion of each downward stroke of the press. All of the six steps of the process of forming an attaching terminal tip 'will be performed in'their respective successive stages upon each stroke of the press.

It will be understood that the die members are so arrangedthat the axis of the almost completed tip blank is arranged concentricaliy with f the end oi' the conductor 20 which is carried toward the die members by whichever-one of the gripping devices 00 is positioned at the lefthand end of the machine at the completion of any cycle of operation of the cutting and stripping portion of the machine. It will also be understood that the relation of the press mechanism and the cutting and stripping mechanism is such that upon completion of movement of the severed portion of the conductor 20 to theleft,

at the end of a stripping action, that portion of the wire 22 of the conductor 20 from Lwhich the within the constricted throat portion or grpove |02 oi' the tip |42 and the extremity of the corresponding end -of the insulation 24 will have been received within the open or base end of the partially completed tip or terminal. With the partially vcompleted terminal or tip thus arranged with respect to the cooperating end of the conductor. during the next cycle of operation of the press the partially completedtip or terminal will be completely formed about-and secured to the corresponding end of the severed lengths of the'conductor 20 and the completed terminal will be sheared oil' oi' the strip 00.

It is, of course, essential in the carrying out of these operations vthat the operation of the press be synchronized with the operation of the cutting and severing mechanism and this is effected in the following manner. l

The shaft 00 which is driven from the shaft 00 in timed relation therewith and which is employed for driving the drum 04v and the mechanism for operating the square shafts 10 controlling the opening and closing of the jaws of the gripping devices 00, is projected out beyond the lefthand end of the base or bed I0 as viewed in Figs'. 1 and 2 and is provided with a sprocket |50 fixed to such end. A shaft |52 located on .the far side of the machine as viewed 5 in Figs. 1 and 2 in parallelism with the shaft 00 is supported from the base or bed i0 and the pedestal 00 by means of an arm |04 and a support |50, respectively, and on -its lefthand end has nxed thereto a sprocket m connected to y10 the sprocket |00 by means of a chain |00. That end of the shaft |52 immediately to the left of the support |00, and as best illustrated in Fig. 5. is provided with a disc |02 xed thereto. Se-

cured to the face of the disc |02 are a pair of 15 cam members |04 and |00, respectively, arranged in diametrically opposite relation with respect thereto and ilxed to the disc |02 by extend throughcircumferentially extending slots |10 2 means of bolts |100. The .bolts |00 in the cam members |04 and |00 so that upon loosening of the cooperating nut the cam members |04 and 00 may be adjusted angularly with respect to the shaft|02. Stop screws I|.'|4 are preferably provided to assist in the adjustment of 25 the cam members |04 and |00 and to back them up against movement after adjustment.

` A guide member |00 is carried by the upper end of the arm or support |50 and therein a vertically reciprocable plunger |02 in vertical alignment with the cam members |04 and |00 and positioned in the path of movement thereof so a's to be `projected upwardly .thereby each time one of the cams |04 and |00 passes under the same. The free end of the trip lever |00 projects over the upper face of the guide |00 and in vertical alignment with the plunger |02 is provided with a vertically adjustable screw |04which is locked in adjusted position thereon by means-of a lock nut i 00. With this constructionas one of the cams |04, |00 rotates below the plunger |02 it contacts such plunger and forces it upwardly and the upper end of the plunger |02 contacts the lower end of the screw |04 and causes the trip lever |00 to be lifted so 45 as to trip the clutch of the-press mechanism and connect the bull wheel |02 with the crank |00 thereof during the succeeding revolution oi, the bull wheel. Thus the press 00 is caused to operate in synchronism with the severing and 5 stripping portion of the machine. ,The belt |00 may be shifted relative to one of the sprockets |50 or |50 to obtain an approximate desired synchronism between the operation of the press and of the severing and stripping mechanism 5 upon which the cam members |04 and |00 may be adjusted to'provide a ne degree of adjust- Y ment between these portions oi.' the machine lto insure the proper sy'nchronism and relation of 6 tion lengths of insulated electrical conductor and` 65 lengths of strip metal are automatically fed into the machine from suitable' coils or rollsof the same, the insulated cable is severed into sections of predetermined lengths and the insulation is stripped from the ends thereof, the strip of metal 70 is acted upon -to continuously and automatically form terminal tips and the stripped ends of .the severed sections of the conductor are fed into partially formed tips which are thereafter completely formed about and secured to them, sev- 75 receives 3o ered from the strip of metal, and the assembly discharged from the machine. The machine thus provides for the automatic severing of the lengths Aof'the conductor'cable and the application" of conductor tips thereto without the need of any lin anl'lallaborl in the performance of these operations. Consequently the machine may be operated at a considerably higher rate l. .In a mechanism of the type described cornprising,v in combination, mechanically operated means for withdrawing an insulated conductor from a source of supply, cutting'successive sec,- tions of predeterminedlength therefrom and stripping limited lengths of insulation fromfat `least one end of said sections, a mechanically driven press mechanism, meansvfor feeding a strip of metal in step-by-step relation into said press mechanism, a multiple die carried by said press mechanism and operable thereby to act upon said strip in stages to form terminal tips from successive lengths thereof, said terminal tip in one of said stages being partially completed andopen to the reception of said stripped end of said conductor therein, and said cutting and stripping mechanism and said press mechanism being so arranged that the stripped end of one ofsaid conductor sections is automatically fed into lone of said vterminal tips when at said partially completed stage, `and said terminal tip is automatically closed about said stripped end of said conductor sectionduring a subsequent cycle of operation of said press mechanism. j'

2. Ina machine of the type described, in combination, cutting and stripping' mechanism comprising means for receiving a length of'insulated conductorfrom a source of supply, mechanically actuated-means for severing successive sections of predetermined length from said conductor, mechanically driven means synchronized with said severing. mechanism for stripping short lengths of insulation from said conductor on each side of the line of severance thereof and moving said severed sections away from the position of severance, press mechanism, means for feeding a strip of metal in step-by-step relation into said press mechanism, a multiple die carried and operated -bysaid press mechanism receivingv said strip of metaland acting thereon in successive stages to transform successive lengths thereof' into terminal tips for said sections of conductor,

said die mechanism being positioned to present said terminal tips in alignment with the direction of movement of said conductor sections away from said position of severance and in a position .to receive the stripped ends of said conductor sections in a terminal tip within said die mechanism at an intermediate stage of completion thereof, and means interconnecting said severing and stripping mechanism With said press mechanism for effecting operation of one in synchronism with the operation of the other whereby to kcause the stripped ends of each said severed sections of conductor tobe fed intoone of said conductor tips at said intermediate stage of completion whereby the succeeding cycle of operation of said press will complete the formation f said Htip and secure it to said stripped end of saidmonductor section.

3. In a machine of the type described, in combina-tion, conductor severing mechanism, mechanically actuated means for feeding an insulated electrical conductor to said severing mechanism in step-by-step relation and eifecting actuation of said severing mechanism to sever successive sections of predetermined length from said conductor, mechanically vactuated means operated in synchronism with said feeding and severing mechanism'for stripping limited lengths of insulation from said conductor adjacent the points of severance thereof and moving the severed sections thereof away from the point of severance, a press mechanism including a movable platen and a fixed platen and means including a trip lever for initiating a cycle of operation of said press mechanism, means for y feeding a strip of metal in step-by-step relation into said press mechanism, a multiplev die carried by said press mechanism and operable thereby, said die arranged to receive said strip of metaland to operate thereon in stages to form successive lengths through intermediate stages of operation into a completed terminal tip, said multiple die arranged topresent a terminal tip being formed thereby in an intermediate stage of operation lto the stripped end `of a section of said conductor for reception of one by the other ancl said press being operable to move said multiple die to complete the formation of said terminal tip about said stripped end of said section of conductor and secure it thereto, a shaft driven in synchronism with the feeding, cutting and stripping mechanism, and means driven in synchronism with said shaft operable totalctuate said trip lever in synchronism therewi 4. In a machine ef the type described, in combination, conductor severing mechanism, mechanically actuated means for feeding an insulated electrical conductor to said severing mechanism in step-by-step relation and eiecting `actuation of said severing mechanism to sever suc-l cessive sections of predeterminedlength froml said conductor, mechanically actuated means operated in synchronism with said feeding and severing mechanism for stripping limited lengths of insulation from said conductor adjacent the points of severance thereof and moving thesevered sections thereof away from the point of severance, a press mechanism including a movable platen and a fixed platen and means including a trip lever for initiating a cycle of operation of said press mechanism, means for feeding a strip of metal in step-by-step relation into said press mechanism, a multiple die carried by said press mechanism and operable thereby, said die arranged to receive said strip of metal and to operate thereon in stages to form successive lengths thereof through intermediate stages of operation into a completed terminal tip, said multiple die ,said stripped end of said section of conductor andsecure it thereto, a shaft driven inA synchronism with the feeding, cutting and stripping mechanism, and means driven in synchronism with said shaft operable to actuate said trip lever in synchronism therewith including means angularly adjustable relative to the last mentioned shaft for adjusting the timed operations of said press mechanism with respect to the timed operation of said severing and stripping mechanism.

5. In a machine of the type described, in combination, conductor severing mechanism, mechanically actuated means for feeding an insulated electrical conductor to said severing mechanism in step-by-step relation and effecting actuation of said severing mechanism to sever successive sections ofy predetermined length from said conductor, mechanically actuated means operated in synchronism with said feeding and severing mechanism for stripping limited lengths of insulation from said conductor adjacent the points of severance thereof and moving the severed sections thereof away from the point of severance, a press mechanism including a movable l platen and a xed platen and means including a trip lever for initiating a cycle of operation of said press mechanism, means for feeding a strip of metal in step-by-step relation into said press mechanism, a multiple die carried by said press mechanism and operable thereby, said die arranged to receive said strip of metal and to operate thereon in stages to form successive lengths thereof through intermediate stages of operation into a completed terminal tip, said multiple die arranged to present a terminal tip being formed thereby in an intermediate stage of operation to the stripped end of a sectionof said conductor for reception of one by the other and said press being operable to move said multiple die to com-{ plete the formation of said terminal tip about said stripped end of said section of conductor and secure it thereto, a shaft driven in synchronism with the feeding, cutting and stripping mechanism, means driven in synchronism with said shaft operable to actuate said trip lever in synchronism therewith including a second shaft, means drivingly connecting said shafts, a plunger associated with said trip lever, and means operable by said second shaft for effecting operation of said plunger at predetermined angular positions of said second shaft.

6. In a machine of the type described, in combination, conductor severing mechanism, mechanically actuated means for feeding an insu- Alated electrical conductor to said severing mechanism in step-by-step relation and effecting actuation of said severing mechanism to sever successive sections of predetermined length from said conductor, mechanically actuated means operated' in synchronism with said feeding and severing mechanism for stripping limited lengths of insulation from said conductor adjacent the points of severance thereof and moving the severed sections thereof away from the point of severance, a press mechanism including a movable platen and a xed platen and means including a trip lever for initiating a cycle of operation of said press mechanism, means for feeding a strip of metal in step-by-step relation into said press mechanism, a multiple die carried by said press mechanism and operable thereby, said die arranged to receive said strip of metal and to operate thereon in stages to form successive lengths thereof through intermediate stages of operation ,into a completed terminal tip, said multiple die arranged to present a terminal tip being formed thereby in an intermediate stage of operation to the stripped end of a section of saidconductor for reception of one by the other and said press being operable to move said multiple die to complete the formation of said terminal tip about said stripped end of said section of conductor and securel it thereto, a shaft driven in synchronisrn with the feeding, cutting and stripping lmechanism, means driven in synchronism with said shaft operable to actuate lsaid trip lever in synchronism therewith including a second shaft, means drivingly connecting said shafts, a plunger associated with said trip lever, means operable by saidsecond shaft for eiecting operation of said plunger at predetermined angular positions of said second shaft, and means for adiustably securing the last mentioned means angularly of said second shaft for equal rotation therewith.

HOWARD A. ELLIOTT. 

